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Asian investors brushed aside worries over continuously rising Chinese inflation today, focusing instead on bargain shopping. Energy companies were a major attraction as oil prices surged. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 1.1% and China's Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.9%. In Japan the Nikkei 225 Index edged up 0.6%.

Asian shares were mixed Monday. In China the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.7% and in Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index edged down 0.3% as investors worried that inflation could rise further in the lead-up to Chinese New Year. However, Japan's Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.7%.

China's economy is booming, and Western nations are increasing their demands that its currency be allowed to rise to its natural value. Who knows if that will happen, but if you want to bet that it will, the Bank of China just made it easier: Now, Americans can open renminbi-denominated accounts.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 2% to 24,145 Wednesday -- a two-year high -- after Goldman Sachs predicted the index could reach 29,000 in the next year. That, combined with expectations of a new $500 billion round of U.S. economic stimulus, was good news for Asian markets.

Shares of Japanese consumer lenders surged on the news that plans are in the works for Osaka to become a special business zone. This would make it exempt from heavy regulations that have long strangled Japanese lenders.

Shares in Asia headed south Tuesday. In China, the Shanghai Composite index plunged 3.5% to 3,224, its largest drop in nearly three months. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index fell 1.5% to end the day at 22,423 and in Japan, the Nikkei Index lost 1% to close at 9,402.Banking shares suffered losses...

In Hong Kong Friday, the Hang Seng Index added 0.7% to close at 22,554, and the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.5% to end the day at 3,188. Shares fell in Tokyo, sending the Nikkei Index down 0.4% to 9,770. According to the International Monetary Fund, Hong Kong's economic recovery is fragile....

Shares in Asia fell Thursday with Japan's Nikkei Index falling 0.7% to close at 9,804, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index falling 1% to end the day at 22,398. In China, the Shanghai Composite slid 0.1% to 3,173 after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the recovery from the economic crisis would be "slow...